01. Title of the invention

A method of assembling a modular metal structure for multipurpose enclosures

02. Field of invention

This invention relates to Electro- Mechanical Engineering

03. Brief description of the invention

This invention relates to a method of assembling a modular metal structure for multipurpose enclosures characterized by an axial corner module comprising (i) a base cube with three protrusions each having not more than one hole and two semi obround slots made on two peripheral sides of each protrusion and projecting from the base cube which has also only a single hole and (ii) a structural member made to match the design of the protrusions of the axial corner module. It provides increased mechanical strength to modular metal structures ^' for multipurpose enclosures

04. Background and Prior Art

There exist at present a number of methods employed to assemble a modular metal structure. Some of them are executed using an axial corner module primarily consisting of a base cube and three protrusions. The axial corner modules are connected to the structural members using same or different mechanisms. In all of them, the protrusions or the base cube or both contain multiple holes to connect them to structural members using bolts. As a modular metal structure entails many of axial corner modules and structure members, securing them with a large number of bolts is time-consuming and comparatively expensive to the end user.

In addition, when a number of holes are drilled into a protrusion or a base cube, a portion of metal is removed and even wasted thereby making the axial corner module weaker and vulnerable to stress. As the multipurpose enclosures are constructed to carry heavy components and materials, a weaker axial corner module is unable to endure the stress and consequently, the whole structure.

The existing structural members are made to match their respective corner modules, resulting in relatively a weaker and costly end product.

The claimed invention provides a solution to those problems and presents a method of assembling a modular metal structure which makes such structure stronger, time saving and cost effective. Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 - contains a drawing of the axial corner module consisting of the base cube (la) and the three protrusions (lb, lc and Id). Each protrusion contains a threaded hole (le, If and lg) on the face of it and two semi obround slots (lhl, lh2, lil, Π2, lj 1 and lj2) made on two peripheral sides of each protrusion.

Figure 2a - contains a cross sectional view of the axial corner module.

Figure 2b - contains another cross sectional view of the axial corner module particularly showing two semi obround slots made on two peripheral sides of each protrusion

Figure 3a - contains the structural members (2a, 2b and 2c) and bolts (3a, 3b and 3c) and cylindrical metal blocks (9a, 9b and 9c) which are placed inside the structural member.

Figure 3b - illustrates the way in which the axial comer module which contains the base cube and the three protrusions to be secured to the structural members.

Figure 3c - describes the way in which the bolts are being secured to the axial corner module.

Figure 3d - provides a complete illustration of the axial corner module fixed to structural members.

Figure 3e - provides a further illustration of the axial corner module fixed to structural members.

Figure 4 - illustrates the cross sectional view of a structural member (2a, 2b or 2c) and the cylindrical metal block (9a)

Figure 5 - provides detailed drawings of the cylindrical metal block (9a) which includes a hole (9al), threaded hole (9a2) and a riveting collar (9a3)

Figure 6 - Illustrates the assembling mechanism of the metal structure

Figure 7 - shows the modular metal structure with covers/doors

Figure 8- shows one example of a cabinet fully assembled using the modular metal structure 06. Detailed description of the invention

The claimed invention entails a method of assembling a modular metal structure for multipurpose enclosures which is characterized by;

(1) An axial corner module; and

(2) A structural members made to match the design of protrusions of the axial corner module.

Axial Corner Module

(i) Axial corner module contains a base cube (la in figure 1) with three protrusions (lb, lc and Id in figure 1). Each protrusion extends outwardly from the three adjoining faces of the base cube. On the center of the outward face of each protrusion, there is a singular threaded hole (le, If and lg in figure 1). The depth of the threaded hole is slightly less than the length of a protrusion. Two semi obround slots (lhl, lh2, lil, li2, lj l and lj2 in figure 1) are made on two peripheral sides of each protrusion as illustrated in figure 2b.

(ii) The protrusions (lb, 1 c and 1 d in figure 1 ) of the axial corner module have the same general cross sectional configurations or shapes as the cross sectional openings of the structural members (2a, 2b and 2c in figure 3 a) but are slightly smaller. The smaller protrusion enables it to smoothly slide into the two ends of the structural members for assembling.

(iii) The base cube (la in figure 1) contains a threaded hole at its bottom. The depth of the threaded hole is shorter than the length of the base cube. This threaded hole is used to secure the plinth to the axial corner module or to fix lifting hooks to lift the assembled modular metal structure, if necessary.

Structural Member

(i) A structural member (2a, 2b and 2c as shown in figure 3 a) is a hollow metal fabrication made with three 90° bends. As a result, the cross sections of a structural member have three curved corners and one open corner as shown in the figure 4. A structural member has threaded holes at an equal distance (as shown as 'y' in figure 3a). These holes are provided on both sides of the open corners of cross section of each structural member.

(ii) The length of a structural member varies and could be selected according to the desired dimensions of the required size of the modular metal structure. (iii) The first threaded hole of the either end of a structural member is made identical to the other threaded holes and is used to meet and overlap semi obround slots made on two peripheral sides of a protrusion.

(iv) On both ends of a structural member, immediately before the first treaded hole, there is a hole (3e in figure 3a) (which is herein referred to as 'special hole') to fix a cylindrical metal block (9a in figure 3 a).

(v) There is a hole (3d in figure 3a), which is comparatively larger than the aforesaid special hole and made on the corresponding opposite side of the structural member with no holes and parallel to the aforesaid special hole, to insert a cylindrical metal block into the structural member.

(vi) The cylindrical metal block (9a) is shown in detail in Figure 5. A hole is made through the center of the cylindrical metal block (9al in figure 5) in order to provide the space to insert a bolt (3a in figure 5) easily and freely. This hole (9al in figure 5) is not threaded. The bolt (3a in figure 5) inserted through the hole is shown in figure 3 c. The cylindrical metal block also has a threaded hole (9a2 in figure 5) and a reverting collar (9a3 in figure 5) on one of its ends. This reverting collar is used to rivet the cylindrical metal block (9a in figure 5) on to the structural member (2c in figure 3b) through the hole.

(vii) A structural member (2c in figure 3b) is made in such a way as to be pulled on to a protrusion of the axial corner module and securely fixed by tightening the bolt (3 a in figure 3b).

(viii) Threaded hole pattern in a structural member remains uniformly since there is a treaded hole (9a2 in figure 5) in the cylindrical metal block which is reverted on to a structural member as shown in the figure 3d in particular.

Assembling

The assembling the modular metal structure using the invented axial corner module and the structural member referred to above takes place as follows:

(i) The end with the reverting collar of the cylindrical metal block is first entered into a structural member through the hole (3d in figure 3a), which is comparatively larger than the aforesaid special hole and made on the corresponding opposite side of the structural member with no holes and parallel to the aforesaid special hole.

(ii) The diameter of the other end of the cylindrical metal block is identical to the diameter of the larger hole made on the corresponding opposite side of the structural member with no holes and parallel to the aforesaid special hole (iii) The reverting collar comes out through the aforesaid special hole and then is reverted.

(iv) A bolt is dropped into a structural member from its other opening. Normally two bolts are dropped for two ends.

(v) A bolt (3 a in figure 3 a) is inserted into the hole (9al in figure 5) made through the center of the cylindrical metal block.

(vi) Each of the protrusions of the base cube is inserted into one end of each structural member. A protrusion is slightly smaller than the cross section of a structural member enabling the insertion smooth.

(vii) The structural member is guided to be in place by the protrusion until its last hole reaches the semi obround slot.

(viii) The bolt (3a in figure 3a) inserted into the hole (9al in figure 5) made through the center of the cylindrical metal block is screwed into the protrusion through the threaded hole made on the center of its outward face.

(ix) When the bolt is being screwed into the protrusion, the structural member is pulled on towards the protrusion thereby securely connecting the structural member to the protrusion and making the resulting metal structure steady and stronger than those presently available.

(x) The semi obround slot of the protrusion which remains at the last hole of the structural member also provides space to drive in a bolt trough the last hole when fixing various other fixtures to a structural member.